In an unfamiliar interview, the religious authority H.E. Sayyed M.H. Fadlallah talks to “Assyassa” about poetry, women, love, temporary marriage, and pleasure.  

part-one

Sayyed Fadlallah: When we convert it, to rituals, habits and customs, religion stagnates man.

*Where were you born?

According to my ID: I’m from Aynata, Bint Jbeil, which lies to the south of Lebanon.

My family name is Fadlallah, a noble, highly-educated family, which descends from Al Imam Hassan Ben Ali Ben Abi Taleb (a.s.). My father is Sayyed Abed Al Raaouf Fadlullah, the religious scholar, whose whole life was dominated by the calling for Islam and the guiding of people. He was a poet, though none of his poems was published. My mother is AL Haja Raoufa, the daughter of AL Hajj Hassan Bazzi, and the sister of the deceased deputy, Ali Bazzi.

I  was born in the Holy Najaf in Iraq, 1354 Hijri, which corresponds to 1935 or 1936 A.D.

I received my first schooling in Al Nagef, namely in “Al Katateeb”, then, I moved to a modern school where I did not stay for a long time. Afterwards I started my religious studies. At the age of ten, I began to notice a poetic talent within me. I set out for the poetic experience through the early extensive readings which were mostly for the Jahili poetry, Al Mutanabi,  Al Buhturi, and Abu Tamam.

As to modern poetry, I had the chance to meet Mohammad Mahdi Al Jawahiri, and to read for Al Akhtal Al Sagheer, Elias Abu Chabaka, Ahmad Shawki, Hafiz Ibrahim and Khalil Mutran in the fifties. I have started reading Al Adab Magagine since it was firstly issued.

Through it, I was introduced to modern poetry, including Sayyab, Bayyati, and Nazek Al Malaika.

*When did your relation with poetry start:

My first experience in writing poetry was at the age of ten. When we were in Najef, poetry overwhelmed  ourfeelings. More precisely, it overwhelmed our whole lives. Since childhood, we used to atternd religious occasions where  we listened to much poetry whether in sad or joyful occasions, though it was rehearsed in a popular way.

*What are the stages your poem passes through since it originates in your mind until it comes to existence? Tell us about the birth of inspiration in a poet.

 I keep inside me poetry in more or less an embryonic state which embodies a multitude of various images residing my perception and consciousness. In such a case, the poem determines its detailed features in the consciousness so that its ideas or verses are connected as though there were a map doing the job.

In fact, writing poetry was  something inside me that I could not resist. It was so pressing that it always overcame me. At first, words or verses flew spontaneously; they burst out just like a spring of water.

So poetry was an experience that was not so rich sometimes. It was like the experience people pass through; some times it may be profound and thus people can learn from it; but other times, it was so shallow that it does not teach. Poetry, in some instances, may be overwhelmed by superficiality.

*Describe to us what you feel when your poem is about to be born.

I feel tense and anxious as if there were a state of giving birth , but when I carry the poem to the safe shore, I get relieved and assured; the case is similar to some one who is set free after imprisonment.

*Many poets possess the deep sense & ideas, as well as the splendid artistic and suggestive language, yet they lack the ability to embody the human values in their poems due to the fact that they are more interested in the artistic value of their poetry rather than the spiritual human value?

 One of the main characteristics of a real poet is his ability to embody his human feelings in his poem. In the first place, he is a human being, so, when the human value is involved in his poetry, he reveals his faith in man’s conscience, intellectual and practical lives. In other words, humanity must be the core of poetry, and this fact is obviously traced in many universal poets as well as modern Arab poets who aim at conveying a humanistic message in their works whether it is political or social. In this sense, it is absolutely wrong to distinguish between the man  and  the poet. In fact, the poet in a man who possesses the artistic sense, the creativity, and the inspiration that pave the way to openness on life , hence, the deeper his experiences in life are, the more they are reflected in his works.

* Do you approve of what is known as Islamic poetry?

 If Islam has an impact on man’s consciousness, sense and his life in general, then it is natural that his consciousness will be influenced by human concepts. I believe in the spontaneous Islamic poetry. Spontaneity is what makes poetry genuine .Poetry will be a dull product if the poet intends to involve a certain idea in his poetic experience. I think that poetry is what reflects real-human experiences. In this respect, I call for Islamic poetry which is produced just in the sake of poetry & not for reporting ideas & concepts adopted by Islam.

*It is said that religion has negatively influenced the Arabic poetry, though many Arabic poets were platform speakers. What do you say about that?

It is absolutely wrong. On the contrary, Quran has enriched the poetic realm . Examining the artistic value of Quran, we can obviously see that it is poetry. Who recalls Surat Mariam, will notice a kind of very rich non-rhythmic poetry. Though it is non-rhythmic, it is rich with musicality. Examining the poetry produced in the early Islam when the cultural movement was so limited due to the fact that Muslims were busy in wars & in the establishment of the  new Islamic state, we can find many Arabic poets who produced highly artistic poetry by making the Holy Quran their  reference.

*So, What is the relation between poetry and religion?

Religion which is dedicated to God, right, justice & spirituality is a source of inspiration to poetry, yet when we turn religion into rituals, costumes and traditions, it will not only stagnate poetry but also man.

*Do you think that poetry should serve life or should it be a pure  art as some believe?

Art is a reflection of life, of man’s consciences and of his feeling in freedom, beauty, and justice. Moreover, it  is a means for expressing life in all its aspects. This is what makes art express the feelings of repressed  people especially in hard times: What matters most in art is that it should reflect life artistically and creatively as well. When an artist experiences misery, collapse, defeat agony, bitterness, and pain, he will not be a real artist if he is not affected by all such experiences.

*What kind of poetry attracts your attention and arouses your feelings?

There is not a certain kind, but any poetry that highlights life, beauty &pain in an artistic and creative way and knows how to incite the imagination and the feelings affects me.

*How do you read woman’s poetry?

 A Woman is a human being, that’s why I do not see any difference between men & women as poets. Poetry is poetry ,whether written by either of them. If the woman is a poet, she like men, might be frank in expressing her feelings or she might not be.

I’ve read good poetry for Nazek Al Malaaeha, Fadwa Tawkan, and Suad AlSabbah.

*What did you find out in poetry?

Poetry is life. It involves the feelings of those who enjoy living it and those who enjoy writing it.

*where do you find yourself best as a human being in poetry, politics, or in religion?

Poetry, politics, religion, playing  and pleasure make up life; So man can find himself in what he believes and feels. Religion is the means to approach God, and to develop our life. Poetry is the way through which we express creative images, delicate feelings, and profound experience, In this sense, religion and poetry are integrated. In seeking fun and play, man tries to avoid seriousness in life by amusing himself and thus relieving pressure. It is an entire human situation.

*Have you ever thought of experiencing such a situation, regardless of your position?

It is natural for man to undergo such a situation since inside the young man there is a child and inside the old man there is the child & the young man.

*What the role of time here?

Time glorifies man’s stages, but it does not delete them.

*What do you say about this “damned” time that does not put us where we desire to be?

If time keeps us where we are, life will definitely stop. We will not experience dreams, , hope and anxiety. Looking forward to getting something we have not got yet makes life more exciting. For this reason, time is not “damned” when it does not take  us to where we desire to be because  what we desire is not always for our good.

*Where do you find yourself most in politics, poetry, or religion?

I find myself in poetry when I experience emotional and psychological relaxation; in religion, I find myself spiritually closer to God; in politics, I get relaxed when I succeed in drawing people’s attention to the situation they live, tending to guide them for a better standard of living.

*In your verse, one can easily detect the affectionate relationship between you & death: How  do interpret it?

As a means to relieve life’s pressures, man seeks death. Death is the way that helps men to free himself of the piling obligations. It is a conscious and not a rational case that enable us to imagine ourselves living in paradise & enjoying God’s satisfaction.

In another words, death is the extension of life therefore, the difference between life & death lies in the fact that life’s span is so limited while the other life which death takes us to is everlasting &endless.

*Is there a room for love in your poems?

Love occupies a large space in my poetry, and perhaps the most beautiful poems are  the ones about love.

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